I only need one instance of Oracle Database, or I just want to install a test database to get familiar with the product. How do I install Oracle Database for these situations?

If you want a quick installation using the default installation settings, then use Oracle Database Quick Installation Guide.

If your site has special requirements, then see Oracle Database Installation Guide.

How do I create an Oracle database that can handle transaction-heavy or data warehousing applications?

If you want to create a starter database designed for transaction-heavy or data warehousing applications, then see Oracle Database Installation Guide. When you run Oracle Universal Installer, select the Advanced Installation method, and then select the database type you want in the Select Database Configuration window.

See Also:

Oracle Data Warehousing Guide after installation

Alternatively, you can install Oracle OLAP during the Oracle Database installation. Oracle OLAP provides optimal support for database environments that must meet OLAP requirements. To do so, select Advanced Installation, then Custom, and from the Available Product Components window, select Oracle OLAP.

See Also:

Oracle OLAP Application Developer's Guide

Oracle OLAP Reference

Oracle OLAP DML Reference

Oracle OLAP Java API Reference

Oracle OLAP Analytic Workspace Java API Reference

In an existing Oracle Database installation, you can run Oracle Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) to create databases designed for data warehousing or transaction processing. To start DBCA, select Start, then Programs, then Oracle -HOME_NAME, then Configuration and Migration Tools, and then Database Configuration Assistant.

What's the best way to install multiple Oracle databases?

Use Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle Database using either of the following methods:

Installing with response files: This method lets you run Oracle Universal Installer at a command line using a response file that contains settings specific to each computer.

Cloning an existing Oracle home: Install Oracle Database on one computer using interactive mode. Afterwards, you can clone its existing Oracle home in each location and then create a new database from there. You can also clone databases, which is described in Oracle Database Administrator's Guide.

If you have many client nodes, consider running Oracle Universal Installer in silent or noninteractive mode.

How do I upgrade Oracle Database?

See Oracle Database Upgrade Guide.

See Also:

Oracle Database Administrator's Guide if you want to use software cloning to upgrade Oracle Database

The computers at my site have been configured to run as a cluster. How should I install Oracle Database?

Use any of the following installation scenarios:

If you want to run a single-instance Oracle Database in a clustered environment, then install Oracle Clusterware either before or after you install Oracle Database.

If you want a consolidated pool of storage for all databases in your cluster, then install Oracle Clusterware first and use Automatic Storage Management to manage this storage. Afterward, install Oracle Database (which can be either single instance or Oracle Real Application Clusters).

If you plan to use Oracle Real Application Clusters, first install Oracle Clusterware, and then install Oracle Real Application Clusters.

Oracle Clusterware is a key component required by Oracle Real Application Clusters installations. Oracle Clusterware is an integrated cluster management solution that can bind multiple servers together to act as a single system referred to as a cluster. It performs workload management and component restart. For example, when an instance supporting a particular service fails, Oracle Clusterware restarts the service on the next available instance that you have configured for that service. Oracle Clusterware can monitor non-Oracle programs, if they are defined within the Oracle Clusterware environment using the High Availability API.

How do I migrate my non-Oracle databases to Oracle Database?

Use Oracle Migration Workbench to migrate your non-Oracle databases and applications to Oracle. Oracle Migration Workbench software and documentation are available at

See Oracle Application Server Installation Guide. How you install Application Server depends on whether you already have Oracle Database installed:

If you do not have Oracle Database installed or you do not want Oracle Application Server to use any of your existing Oracle Databases, then Oracle Universal Installer lets you install Oracle Application Server with its own Oracle Database. This database is populated with the metadata that Oracle Application Server needs to run correctly.

If you want Oracle Application Server to use an existing Oracle Database, then do the following:

You can also administer and monitor the database with Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control, which is installed by default with Oracle Database. Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control includes the Oracle Management Agent, Oracle Management Service, and Oracle Management Repository, as well as Grid Control, a browser-based central console through which administrators can perform all monitoring, administration, and configuration tasks for the enterprise.

See Also:

Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control Installation and Basic Configuration available on the Enterprise Manager Grid Control installation media

To perform advanced administration tasks, such as monitoring Oracle Database and managing multiple hosts, application servers, and databases including the one that you are installing, install Oracle Enterprise Manager as follows:

Use Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle Database.

If you plan to use Oracle Real Application Clusters, then install Oracle Database by using Oracle Database Oracle Clusterware and Oracle Real Application Clusters Installation Guide.

Oracle provides a wide range of security solutions for your enterprise environment, including centralized administration and security features integrated with Oracle Internet Directory. The set of Oracle security services called Oracle Platform Security integrates the security features built into Oracle Database, Oracle Application Server, and the Oracle Identity Management infrastructure. Combined, these features enable the development and deployment of secure e-business applications.

Oracle Identity Management includes Oracle Internet Directory, a centralized repository that simplifies administration of users and applications in the Oracle environment by means of the following components:

Does Oracle Database provide OLAP tools so that I can analyze data such as trends and time series in my database?

Yes, install Oracle OLAP, which is provided in the Oracle Database installation. Oracle OLAP provides optimal support for database environments that must meet OLAP requirements.

Use either of the following methods in Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle OLAP:

When you run Oracle Universal Installer, select the Custom installation type, and in the Available Product Components window, select Oracle OLAP.

See Also:

Oracle OLAP Application Developer's Guide

Oracle OLAP Reference

Oracle OLAP DML Reference

Oracle OLAP Java API Reference

Oracle OLAP Analytic Workspace Java API Reference

Select the Enterprise Edition installation type, and then in the Select Database Configuration window, select the Data Warehouse configuration.

See Also:

Oracle Data Warehousing Guide after installation

Does Oracle Database provide data mining tools that I can use to find hidden meaning in my data and predict likely outcomes based on my data?

Yes. Install Oracle Data Mining, which is provided in the Oracle Database installation. With the Oracle Data Mining option, you can create and execute predictive and descriptive data mining models that use a variety of algorithms.

Use the following method in Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle Data Mining:

When you run Oracle Universal Installer, select the Enterprise Edition installation type.

In the Select Database Configuration window, select the General Purpose configuration.

If you want the database to execute predefined mining models, but not support model creation, install the Data Mining Scoring Engine instead of Oracle Data Mining. Use the following method in Oracle Database Installation Guide to install the Data Mining Scoring Engine:

When you run Oracle Universal Installer, select the Custom installation type.

Use Oracle Database Recovery Manager (RMAN), which is a backup and recovery tool integrated into Oracle Database. This tool satisfies the demands of high-performance, manageable backup and recovery. Recovery Manager is native to the database, automatically tracks database structure changes, and optimizes operations accordingly. In addition, Recovery Manager is integrated with leading tape media management products, so that Oracle database backups can be integrated with your existing networked data protection infrastructure.

In most cases, install Oracle Database itself, then install the Oracle application. The Oracle Universal Installer for that application prompts you for the connection information. Check the application documentation requirements.